Export micro tennis players, eight Ecuadorian players participate in European clubs | Other Sports | sports

The Ecuadorian Table Tennis Federation (FETM) has become an exporter of athletes to Europe, from the presidency of Jeanine Cuadros de Freire (2000-2012) until the present season with the Cuencano Paul Street, which directs the national entity.

Alberto Miño was the first to emigrate to Europe. He arrived in the French League in 2009 and after three years moved to Germany, where he remains and participates in the Bundesliga defending the TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt club.

After Miño’s displacement they also traveled to France and Germany Ivan Proano, Geovanny Coello Y Dino Suarez-Aviles, who did not stay long and returned to the country.

They followed that path that Miño opened to play in European clubs Rodrigo Tapia, Emiliano Riofrio, Diego Piguave and this week they did Neycer Robalino, Jeremy Cedeno, Camila Rubio Y Noelia Ortiz. The Santo Domingo woman is about to travel to Portugal Nataly Paredes.

Tapia trains at the facilities of the Club Top Spin club and is a member of the SU Sparkasse Kufstein 1 club, which performs in the first division of the German and Austrian leagues; while Riofrío, from the Braine l Alleud A club, resides in Spain and plays in division 1A of the belgian league; and Piguave trains at the San Sebastián de los Reyes club and plays at the BM Alarcos Ciudad Real Table Tennis of the Spanish first division.

other players

Jeremy Cedeno traveled to France, while Neycer Robalino went to Portugal, where they will complete training bases and join their new clubs to play different international events.

The three international tournaments organized by the FETM in Cuenca in 2021 were the showcase to show the talent of Ecuadorian microtennis. This is how Cedeño was signed by the French club Bayard de Argentan.

“In October of last year we had the sports manager of the Bayard de Argentan club (France) in Cuenca. watched the Pan American Championship under-11, under-13. There the approaches began and then Jeremy’s departure was finalized. Now there are two more athletes, from the children’s category, they are from Morona Santiago, Camila Rubio and Nohelia Ortiz. It is a direct management of the FETM and the expenses of the trip have been shared between the FETM, the provincial Federation and the private company”, said Calle.

Cedeño will play in the first division of the French league during the three months that his training base lasts, he will defend the Bayard club. The 2018 Latin American pre-infantile champion and 2020 South American vice-champion He comments that his goals have changed slightly: “Now I no longer want to be a Latin American champion, but a Pan American and South American champion,” says the 17-year-old athlete, adding that in France he will seek to “improve the style of play and technique” in order to achieve his goals. .

Neycer Robalino

For his part, Neycer Robalino, 19, will be at a training base in Mirandela, Portugal. Then the micro tennis player will defend the Hispalis club from the division of honor of the Spanish league and his main objective is to “improve his competitive level and succeed in the South American Championship U19″, which will take place from May 10 to 16, in Lima.

The medalist of Junior Pan American Games Cali 2021 considers this experience as unique, because “you meet new people and improve your level”. He assures that his goal is to leave the name of the country high. “I want to secure a medal in singles and with the team or in doubles within the South American of May; then qualify for the Pan American and the senior team; start my preparation with a view to Paris 2024″.

“The Federation is guaranteeing participation in at least three WTT junior world circuits Youth Contender in Europe that will take place in France, in Metz; Spa, Belgium; and Vila Real, Portugal; with the possibility of playing a fourth tournament in Austria”, stated Calle, while confirming that these tournaments add points for the ranking youth world cup (D)